fidget
1 of 2noun
fidg·et ˈfi-jət 
1
: uneasiness or restlessness as shown by nervous movements —usually used in plural
2
[fidget entry 2] : one that fidgets
fidget
2 of 2verb
fidgeted; fidgeting; fidgets
intransitive verb
: to move or act restlessly or nervously
transitive verb
: to cause to move or act nervously
Synonyms
Noun
- edginess
- fidgetiness
- flightiness
- jitteriness
- jumpiness
- restiveness
- skittishness
Verb
- fiddle
- jerk
- jig
- jiggle
- squiggle
- squirm
- thrash
- thresh
- toss
- twist
- twitch
- wiggle
- wriggle
- writhe
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He was constantly fidgeting in his chair. small children are likely to fidget in church
Recent Examples on the Web
Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, 6 Sep. 2022 For more ways to indulge your inner kid, check out our picks for the best fidget toys, remote control cars, and biggest Lego sets worth buying. Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2022 For stocking stuffers for toddlers think fidget toys, slime and scented pencils, while small Christmas gifts for teens are geared more to their hobbies, like beauty or gaming. Hannah Jeon, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2022 Editor's note: A fidget toy is not a replacement for professional help. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 The classroom organizer is topped with kids' favorite fidget toy in durable silicone. Buy it! Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2022 This board game popper turns your favorite fidget toy into a fun activity for two. Lauren Gray, Popular Mechanics, 2 Aug. 2022 Joel Rodriguez shows the fidget toy attached to his Tasium T-shirt. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 June 2022 Friendly and rumpled, with an unruly halo of curly hair, the 30-year-old widely known as SBF has an affinity for League of Legends, fidget spinners, and other trappings of nerd culture. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2022 Jack Kelly, Forbes, 27 June 2022 In a brainstorm, toys—such as a magnetic gyro wheel, fidget toys or expandable spheres—can bring out the best thinking. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 The need to fidget in class and outside of class likely got a bump during the pandemic, said David Anderson, clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, a non-profit seeking to transform child and adolescent mental health. Elissa Strauss, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 There have been a number of studies that find that fidgets or fidgeting help children focus, while other research suggests that fidget toys can lead to poorer educational outcomes. Elissa Strauss, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 As for the past two hundred years of intervention, the Office of No will have its hands full revisiting everything from central banking and leaving cryptocurrency alone, to antitrust regulation, to fidget spinners. Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 25 Oct. 2021 Stay grounded, don’t squirm, fidget or look at your phone. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2021 His hands, police said, started to fidget and shake. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 8 June 2021 Objects people fidget with include paper clips, USB thumb drives, earbuds and sticky tape. Katherine Isbister, The Conversation, 7 May 2021 See More
Noun
Best Fidget Toy for 14-Year-Olds Take all the soothing fun of a popping toy on the go with this two-pop fidget. Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, 6 Sep. 2022 For more ways to indulge your inner kid, check out our picks for the best fidget toys, remote control cars, and biggest Lego sets worth buying. Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2022 For stocking stuffers for toddlers think fidget toys, slime and scented pencils, while small Christmas gifts for teens are geared more to their hobbies, like beauty or gaming. Hannah Jeon, Good Housekeeping, 8 Aug. 2022 Editor's note: A fidget toy is not a replacement for professional help. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 12 Aug. 2022 The classroom organizer is topped with kids' favorite fidget toy in durable silicone. Buy it! Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 5 Aug. 2022 This board game popper turns your favorite fidget toy into a fun activity for two. Lauren Gray, Popular Mechanics, 2 Aug. 2022 Joel Rodriguez shows the fidget toy attached to his Tasium T-shirt. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 16 June 2022 Friendly and rumpled, with an unruly halo of curly hair, the 30-year-old widely known as SBF has an affinity for League of Legends, fidget spinners, and other trappings of nerd culture. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2022 Verb
Don’t fidget in your seat, look away from the camera or seem distracted. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 27 June 2022 In a brainstorm, toys—such as a magnetic gyro wheel, fidget toys or expandable spheres—can bring out the best thinking. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 The need to fidget in class and outside of class likely got a bump during the pandemic, said David Anderson, clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, a non-profit seeking to transform child and adolescent mental health. Elissa Strauss, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 There have been a number of studies that find that fidgets or fidgeting help children focus, while other research suggests that fidget toys can lead to poorer educational outcomes. Elissa Strauss, CNN, 29 Dec. 2021 As for the past two hundred years of intervention, the Office of No will have its hands full revisiting everything from central banking and leaving cryptocurrency alone, to antitrust regulation, to fidget spinners. Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 25 Oct. 2021 Stay grounded, don’t squirm, fidget or look at your phone. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2021 His hands, police said, started to fidget and shake. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 8 June 2021 Objects people fidget with include paper clips, USB thumb drives, earbuds and sticky tape. Katherine Isbister, The Conversation, 7 May 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
irregular from fidge
First Known Use
Noun
1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1754, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Phrases Containing fidget
Kids Definition
fidget
verb
fidg·et ˈfi-jət
fidgeted; fidgeting
: to move in a restless or nervous way
fidgets 1 of 2
plural noun
as in fidgetiness
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements one dental patient in the waiting room had a bad case of the fidgets Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fidgetiness
- anxiety
- nerves
- worry
- unease
- tension
- jumpiness
- jitteriness
- skittishness
- restlessness
- agitation
- shakes
- apprehensiveness
- upset
- edginess
- flightiness
- restiveness
- apprehension
- anxiousness
- shivers
- perturbation
- tenseness
- feverishness
- uneasiness
- trepidation
- agita
- jitters
- disquiet
- freneticism
- franticness
- butterflies
- willies
- hand-wringing
- jimjams
- dither
- heebie-jeebies
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- confidence
- sureness
- calm
- control
- imperturbability
- composure
- collectedness
- poise
- ease
- self-assurance
- repose
- calmness
- equilibrium
- self-confidence
- equanimity
- coolness
- tranquility
- aplomb
- self-control
- tranquillity
- easiness
- self-possession
- tranquilness
fidgets
2 of 2verb
as in twitches
to make jerky or restless movements small children are likely to fidget in church Synonyms & Similar Words
- twitches
- squirms
- tosses
- jerks
- wiggles
- fiddles
- trembles
- shivers
- twists
- shakes
- writhes
- jigs
- wriggles
- squiggles
- jiggles
- quivers
- shudders
- flutters
- flits
- thrashes
- threshes
- paces
- quakes
- twitters
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- relaxes
- rests
- unwinds
- stills
- calms (down)
- Smoot
- smooted
- smooth
- smooth (out or over)
- smooth a path
- smooth alder
- smooth as silk
- smooth away
- smooth azalea
- smooth beardtongue
- smooth breathing
- smooth brome
- smooth bromegrass
- smooth buckeye
- smooth crabgrass
- smooth curve
- smooth dog
- smooth dogfish
- smooth fox terrier
- smooth green snake
- smooth hound
- smooth joint
- smooth log
- smooth lungwort
- smooth meadow grass